What Was Tasted and What Was Distributed

Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami MaharajaWhat Was Tasted and What Was DistributedVenice, Italy: June 7, 2009

Now, we are coming to the explanations of Srila Krsna dasa Kaviraja Gosvami in His Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, regarding the reasons Krsna took the intrinsic mood and beauty of Srimati Radhika and came in this world as Sacinandana Gaurahari.

[“To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium.” (Bhagavad-gita, 4.8)]

What dharma does this verse refers to? It refers to varnasrama-dharma, but this is also secondary. Ultimately it refers to sanatana-dharma, which is krsna-prema. Krsna-prema is of four types: dasya (servitorship), sakhya (friendship), vatsalya (parental love), and madhurya (conjugal love). Madhurya is also of two kinds: svakiya (married or wedded love) and parakiya (paramour love). Parakiya is also of two kinds: sambhogatmika (engagement in direct loving exchanges with Sri Krsna) and tad-tad-bhava-icchamayi (the desire to experience the sweet bhavas which the gopis of Vraja have towards Krsna). Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to establish Krsna-prema in the relationship of dasya, sakhya, vatsalya and madhurya.

Lord Visnu can establish the yuga-dharma (religious process for the age). The Kali-yuga dharma (the religious process for this present age of quarrel and hypocrisy) is to preach nama-sankirtana, the chanting of the holy name of Krsna. I once explained at the celebration of Visvarupa Mahotsava that Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja did not come to this world only to preach nama-sankirtana. This can be established by Visnu-tattva and His followers. However, not everyone can give Krsna-prema, which was the main purpose of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja’s mission. Some of his disciples thought he had come only to preach nama-sankirtana; they could not understand my message. Nama-sankirtana yuga-dharma can be preached by Visnu-tattva, but only Krsna and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and Their followers can give Krsna-prema or Vraja-prema.

When Krsna descends to this world, all of His incarnations come in His body. He is avatari, which means that all incarnations, such as Nrsmha and Rama, are present within the body of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. These incarnations have established yuga-dharma.

Bhakti (devotion to Krsna) is of two kinds: vaidhi (regulations) and raganuga (spontaneous) [*See Endnote 1]. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not come only for vaidhi-bhakti. What have Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami told in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu and in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta? Although this statement may look to some like vaidhi-bhakti, it is actually the topmost of raganuga-bhakti:

[“May the Supreme Lord who is known as the son of Srimati Saci-devi be transcendentally situated in the innermost chambers of your heart. Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has appeared in the Age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation has ever offered before: the most sublime and radiant mellow of devotional service, loving services to Srimati Radhika and Sri Krsna in parakiya (paramour) mood, manjari-bhava (bhava-ullasa rati).” (by Srila Rupa Gosvami, as quoted in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 1.4)]

In vaidhi-bhakti, a mood of aisvarya (opulence) prevails. In raganuga-bhakti there is no aisvarya. Madhurya (sweet, human-like pastimes) prevails there. Caitanya-caritamrta states:

caturtha slokera artha ei kaila saraprema-nama pracarite ei avatara

[I have given the essential meaning of the fourth verse: this incarnation (Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu) descends to propagate the chanting of the holy name and to spread love of God.”(Adi-lila, 4.5)]

satya ei hetu, kintu eho bahirangaara eka hetu, suna, ache antaranga

[“Although this is true, this is but the external reason for the Lord’s incarnation. Please hear one other reason, the confidential reason, for the Lord’s appearance.” (Adi-lila, 4.6)

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to preach nama-prema. What is nama-prema? It is prema that manifests through the holy names, Hare, Krsna, and Rama:

[“Thus He spread kirtana even among the untouchables. He wove a wreath of the holy name and prema, with which He garlanded the entire material world.” (Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 4.40)]

The Yuga-dharma or religious principle of the Age establishes harinama and religious principles, but Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came especially to give nama-prema. Prema is like a thread, and dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, and madhurya are like flowers which are connected by the thread of prema. Prema is the root; without thread no garland can be made. Therefore, Mahaprabhu distributed the holy name with prema – the prema of dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, and madhurya, and especially the mood of the gopis.

[“The Lord’s desire to appear was born from two reasons: the Lord wanted to taste the sweet essence of the mellows of love of God, and He wanted to propagate devotional service in the world on the platform of spontaneous attraction. Thus He is known as supremely jubilant and as the most merciful of all.” (Adi-lila 4.15-16)]

Mahaprabhu gave manjari-bhava, or service to Sri Radha’s mood. Raga-marga bhakti can be given, but no one can give the essence of the rasas that Krsna wanted to taste. What Krsna came to distribute in the form of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is revealed in this above-mentioned verse, which states: “Raga-marga bhakti loke karite pracarana – He wanted to propagate devotional service in the world on the platform of spontaneous attraction.”

Raga-marga bhakti means raganuga bhakti. What is raganuga? First we must know what ragatmika [See Endnote 2] is, and then we must understand raganuga. Ragatmika-bhakti includes dasya (the service of Nanda-baba’s servants and Krsna’s cowherd servants); sakyha (the service of Krsna's cowherd boy friends like Sridhama, Subal, and Madhumangala); vatsalya (the service of Krsna's parents, like Nanda Baba and Mother Yasoda); and madhurya (the service of Krsna's beloveds, the gopis). They are ragatmika, not raganuga.

This verse refers to service in this world. In this world, if a sadhaka (devotional practitioner) has a perfect, qualified guru, and he follows that guru’s instructions, he will automatically receive raga-marga, the path of spontaneous devotion that follows in the wake of the Lord's ragatmika associates of Vraja. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave this, and our guru-parampara also gives the same.

The above-mentioned verse also states: “Rasika-sekhara krsna parama-karuna.” Krsna is rasika-sekhara, the topmost taster of transcendental conjugal mellows. Parama karuna means that He is very merciful. And that is why this desire manifested in His heart. He thought:

[“Knowing My opulences, the whole world looks upon Me with awe and veneration. But devotion made feeble by such reverence does not attract Me.” (Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 3.16)

Sri Ramanuja, Madhvacarya, Vallabhacarya, Visnu Swami, Nimbaditya, and others like them preached aisvarya-jnana bhakti – devotion with knowledge of the Lord’s opulence and majesty – not pure Krsna-bhakti. Sri Ramanuja's teachings did not touch the knowledge of Sri Krsna. Sri Madhavacarya only discussed up to vatsalya, and that was only a semblance of vatsalya; it was not vatsalya in its full feature. There are many aspects of Madhavacarya's teachings which we do not accept. We accept those philosophical concepts which are favorable to and in the line of pure Krsna-bhakti. We reject what is not favorable. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu rejected some of Madhvacarya’s philosophy when He went to Udupi. [For more information on the Lord’s visit there, please see Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Chapter 9]

Sri Krsna declared: “I am not controlled by aisvarya-sithila-prema (prema that is slackened by awe and reverence). And example of such prema is Hanuman, who worshiped Rama in awe and reverence. Also, the Pandavas’ prema is very high, but when Arjuna saw the Visvarupa, Krsna’s universal form, he became fearful and prayed, “Krsna, I have called you ‘friend.’ I have done wrong. I have committed an offense. Please excuse me.”

[“Thinking of You as my friend, I have rashly addressed You ‘O Krsna,’ ‘O Yadava,’ ‘O my friend,’ not knowing Your glories. Please forgive whatever I may have done in madness or in love. I have dishonored You many times, jesting as we relaxed, lay on the same bed, or sat or ate together, sometimes alone and sometimes in front of many friends. O infallible one, please excuse me for all those offenses.” (Bhagavad-gita 11.41-42)]

The primary internal reason for which Krsna came in the form of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was to taste Radhika’s pranaya (great love). [*See Endnote 3:] What is the pranaya of Radha? It is a very elevated stage of her uttama-bhakti. Uttama-bhakti is free from all desires other than the desire to please Krsna. In order to properly understand Srimati Radhika's advanced stage of uttama-bhakti, we should begin by understanding bhakti from its first stages. The first stage of bhakti is sraddha (strong faith).

Srila Haridas Thakura is an excellent example of true sraddha: He asserted, “Even if I am cut into millions of pieces, I will not give up chanting Krsna’s name.” This is called paramarthiki (transcendental) sraddha. We should place our hands on our heart and ask ourselves, “What class of sraddha is situated in me?”

In the development of pure bhakti from the beginning, first comes sadhu-sanga (association with pure devotees). By sadhu-sanga, sraddha manifests, and the symptom of sraddha is the desire to serve Krsna. This desire is likened to the seed of bhakti:

mali hana kare sei bija aropanasravana-kirtana-jale karaye secana

[“When a person receives the seed of devotional service, he should take care of it by becoming a gardener and sowing the seed in his heart. If he waters the seed gradually by the process of sravana and kirtana (hearing and chanting), the seed will begin to sprout.” (Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, 19.152)]

In the continued association of pure devotees, unsteady (anistitha) bhakti turns into steady (nisthita) bhakti as anarthas gradually disappear. After this, taste (ruci) comes, and when taste is matured, it is called attachment (asakti). Then, after asakti comes transcendental emotions (rati or bhava).

The characteristics of bhava are stated in the Caitanya-caritamrita as follows:

[“When devotional service is executed on the transcendental platform of pure goodness, it is like a sun-ray of love for Krsna. At such a time, devotional service causes the heart to be softened by various tastes, and one is then situated in bhava (emotion).” (Madhya-lila, 23.5)]

What is the transcendental mood of one situated in bhava-bhakti? Ragatmika-bhakti is situated in the heart of such associates as Subal, Sridam, Madhumangala, Nanda Baba, Mother Yasoda, and the gopis. If one remembers and follows their service to Krsna according to their relation with Him, their bhakti will then manifest in the heart of that qualified devotee.

By this process, prema will manifest. An important characteristic of prema is that even if there is a reason for it to be broken, instead of breaking, it increases more and more, and becomes unlimitedly more fresh and relishable. Such pure prema does not exist in this world. Our material body would not be able to tolerate it – the body would die. Such prema is only found in Vaikuntha and upper Goloka, in Vrndavana.

In Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.4.1) the general definition of prema has been given as follows:

[“Bhava-bhakti which melts the heart much more so than in its initial stage, which greatly augments the feeling of transcendental bliss and which bestows a deep sense of mamata (possessiveness) in relation to Sri Krsna, is called prema by the learned.” (Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 23.7)]

On the platform of prema comes sneha, that intense prema which makes the heart extremely molten. When prema is perfect, the heart melts, and that melting comes in the form of symptoms like tears flowing from the eyes and hairs standing on end. Then, maan comes. (*See Endnote 4)

In such thick prema, no matter what the reason, prema cannot be broken. With this strong belief in the heart of that devotee, he then becomes ‘crooked.’ Such maan is perfectly exemplified by Srimati Radhika, and Her maan is one of the differences between Her and Candravali. Candravali cannot be 'crooked.' If something bad happens, a tear will come, and right away she will let her sulky mood leave; and she will submit. But with Radhika, if Krsna wants to touch Her, She says, “Don’t touch me!” Her sakhis say, “Oh black person, go out from here!” This is really maan. Only Radhika, and Radhika’s gopis like Lalita and Visakha, will display maan.

[“Desiring to understand the glory of Radharani’s love, the wonderful qualities in Him that She alone relishes through Her love, and the happiness She feels when She realizes the sweetness of His love, the Supreme Lord Hari, richly endowed with Her emotions, appeared from the womb of Srimati Saci-devi, as the moon appeared from the ocean. (Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 1.6)]

But prema does not stop here; it continues to develop and run forward. It develops from pranaya to raga, to anuraga, to bhava, mahabhava, ruddha, adiruddha, mohana, modana, and in the end, madana. All the symptoms and stages of prema are visible at the time of meeting between Radha and Krsna. These symptoms reside in their complete forms only in Radhika; not even in Lalita and Visakha, or even in Krsna. Krsna may have up to mahabhava. He is thinking, “I do not know what is that mood of madana. I have no realization of it. It is only in Radhika. Only She knows.” This is radha-pranaya-mahima.

Try to keep this in your pockets when you leave here; don’t go with empty pockets. Keep all these truths with you.

Krsna considers, “Radhika is more beautiful and sweet than I am. She is My prema-guru. At the same time, there is something special in Me that can be tasted only by Radhika and no one else.”

[“O my dear sakhi, who is that person who first made Me hear this name ‘Syama’? When it enters My heart through My ears, I become overwhelmed with impatience.”]

Srimati Radhika is saying, “Oh sakhi, who is making Me hear this name, Krsna?” Or, “Oh sakhi, who has spoken this name of Sri Krsna in My ear? Oh, when that sweet name entered My ear, it touched My heart.”

[“I don’t know how much sweetness fills this name. It is so sweet that My tongue will not leave it for a moment. As I go on repeating this name, I become completely absorbed. O sakhi, how will I ever be able to meet Him?”]

[“By chanting the holy name of the Supreme Lord, one comes to the stage of love of Godhead. Then the devotee is fixed in his vow as an eternal servant of the Lord, and he gradually becomes very much attached to a particular name and form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As his heart melts with ecstatic love, he laughs very loudly or cries or shouts. Sometimes he sings and dances like a madman, for he is indifferent to public opinion.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.2.40)]

[‘If that person’s name alone has the power to put Me in such a condition, I cannot even imagine what My condition would be if I were to touch His body. Wherever He stays, how can the young women maintain their religious principles.”]

“If Krsna's name is so sweet, what will it be like to touch Krsna's body? How would I be able to control my heart?”

[“In My heart I want to forget Him, but I cannot. Now I cannot understand what is the remedy, what to do. Dvija Candidasa says, “Simply by displaying His youthful beauty, that Syamananda has destroyed the whole dynasty of chaste ladies.”]

“If any lady sees Him when He is present in the village, in Nandagaon, in Vrndavana, or anywhere, I cannot say what will happen to her.”

Candidasa (the writer of the song), or Radha, is telling this.

“How can she protect her chastity? I know that she cannot do so. I cannot speak for others, but as far as I am concerned, I cannot. I want to forget Krsna, Syama, but I cannot. What should I do? What should I do?”

Candidasa, in the mood of Radhika, says, “I shall tell you the result. The result of any chaste lady, any gopi, going to a place where Krsna is present is that she will give up her chastity and say, ‘O Krsna, You should keep your feet on my heart. You should embrace me.’ And she will tell him to do all other things.”

So Krsna's name is immeasurably sweet; Radhika Herself is saying this.

Krsna's name is cintamani, a wish fulfilling gem. Whatever you desire, Sri Krsna's names will fulfill that desire. If you want manjari-rasa, then, chanting always, giving up all anarthas, remaining in sadhu-sanga, that desire will be fulfilled by Krsna's names. His names are so powerful. Krsna has given all His power, all His mercy, and all His qualities to these names.

[“I do not know how much nectar the two syllables ‘Krs-na’ have produced. When the holy name of Krsna is chanted, it appears to dance within the mouth. We then desire many, many mouths. When that name enters the holes of the ears, we desire many millions of ears. And when the holy name dances in the courtyard of the heart, it conquers the activities of the mind, and therefore all the senses become inert.”]

Srila Rupa Gosvami spoke this verse in the assembly of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates. Hearing it, Srila Haridasa Thakura began to dance, thinking, “I have never heard such a glorification of Krsna's names. This is a better glorification than anyone else has ever written.”]

What is the nature of the form of Krsna? How sweet is His form? Its glory is found in the following song of the gopis.

[“Syamasundara is entering the forest of Vrndavana accompanied by His cowherd boyfriends. He wears a peacock feather in His turban, a yellow karnikara flower on His ears, a yellow garment as brilliant as gold, and a heart-stealing multi(-)coloured garland strung with five kinds of fragrant forest flowers. Thus He displays His form as the greatest of dancers and the topmost expert in amorous love. The nectar of His lips flows through the holes of the flute and thus the glorious vibrations of His flute-song echo throughout the forest groves. Singing His glories, the cowherd boys follow from behind. In this way, Sri Vrndavana-dhama, which is more charming than Vaikuntha, becomes delighted by the touch of His lotus feet.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 10.21.5)]

Krsna Himself says, “I cannot know how sweet is My form; only Radhika knows. I am very, very beautiful; yet, when I see Srimati Radhika, My heart melts. At the same time, when She sees this wonderful form of Mine, She becomes totally absorbed and then She becomes mad. She experiences divyon-mad and prajalpa, and more than that. I don’t know the glory of my form, but She knows it.”

When Krsna and Baladeva arrived in the arena of Kamsa, Kamsa ordered Canura and Mustika to wrestle with them. The wrestlers looked like Yamaraja, the Personality of Death; they were very black and very tall. They told Krsna, “You are not a mere boy. You have killed Aghasura, Bakasura, and numerous other demons; so you are not a mere child. Come!” They forcibly pulled Krsna and Baladeva into the arena. Krsna and Canura, and then Balarama and Mustika, locked themselves hand to hand, leg to leg, and each began to press against the other with a view to coming out victorious. They joined palm to palm, calf to calf, head to head, chest to chest, and began to strike each other.

Watching the wrestling between Krsna and Balarama and the wrestlers, the princesses of Mathura became very shy and said, “No religious person is able to remain in this arena. The wrestlers Canura and Mustika are so big, whereas Krsna and Baladeva are very young and delicate. This fight means that Kamsa wants to kill Krsna and Baladeva. Persons who are aware of the civilized principles of justice will not remain to watch this unfair match. Those taking part in watching this wrestling match are not very much enlightened; therefore whether they speak or remain silent, they are being subjected to the reactions of sinful activities.”

[“What austerities must the gopis have performed! With their eyes they always drink the nectar of Lord Krsna's form, which is the essence of loveliness and is never equaled or surpassed. That loveliness is the only abode of beauty, fame, and opulence. It is self-perfect, ever-fresh, and extremely rare.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 10.44.14)]

“Krsna's form is so beautiful,” the Mathura princesses say. “The gopis are so fortunate, and we are so unfortunate, because we are seeing Krsna and Balarama fighting with wrestlers who are like Himalaya mountains.

What austerities have the gopis performed that they are always seeing Krsna’s sweet and beautiful form in Vraja-Mandala? They play with Krsna and control Him. Here, we are seeing the same Krsna, but now He is wrestling with Carana and Mustika.

Once, Radha and Krsna were sitting together in the same place, yet Srimati Radhika was weeping in a mood of separation. The pastime is as follows: Srimati Radhika was sitting on the lap of Krsna. A bumblebee was buzzing nearby and wanted to enter Her lotus feet. He was flying here and there, and Radhika became very fearful. Madhu-mangala then came with a stick and drove that bee very far away. Then he said, “Madhusudana will never come back.” Thinking that the word ‘madhusudana,’ meaning ‘bee,’ was referring to Krsna, meaning ‘taster of the honey of the gopis’ love,’ Srimati Radhika cried out, “Where is Krsna, where is Krsna?” and then She fainted.

[“Alas, how shall I take shelter of one more merciful than He who granted the position of mother to a she-demon Putana, although she was unfaithful and she prepared deadly poison to be sucked from her breast?” (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 3.2.23)]

Even though the demoness Putana came to kill Krsna, He gave her the position of nursemaid, not in Vrndavana, but in Goloka.

Those who are killed by the various incarnations of Krsna do not become liberated. Rama killed Ravana, but He did not liberate him. Rather, Ravana came again to this world as Sisupala; and Kumbakarna came as Dantavakra. Nrsmhadeva killed Hiranyaksipu but did not liberate Him. This quality of liberating the demons He kills belongs to Krsna alone.

We have discussed the glories of Krsna's name and form. What is the nature of Krsna’s pastimes?

Dama-bandana-lila (the pastime of Mother Yasoda binding Krsna) is so sweet, And sweeter still are Brahma-mohana-lila (the pastimes of bewildering Lord Brahma), Kaliya-damana-lila (punishing the serpent Kaliya), and Nagapatni-lila (the prayers of Kaliya’s wives). These are some of the sweet pastimes of Krsna.

I have explained the glory of Srimati Radhika's unprecedented love for Krsna (pranaya-mahima) and the nature of the sweetness She tastes in Krsna. Krsna thinks, “By tasting the madhurya (sweetness) of My form, qualities and pastimes, what kind of happiness does She feel? I cannot realize this. I want to realize these three things: the glory of Her love, the qualities in Me that She alone relishes, and the extent of Her happiness.” This is the primary internal reason why Krsna came in the form of Sacinandana Gaurahari.

Tomorrow we will discuss the restlessness of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu during His boyhood, His accepting initiation from Sri Isvara Puripada, then Jagai and Madhai, and then His sannyasa. So you should all be ready for that.

Gaura Premanande. We are giving rest to hari-katha today.

[*Endnote 1 – “Those who have not attained the platform of spontaneous attachment in devotional service render devotional service under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master according to the regulative principles mentioned in the revealed scriptures. According to the revealed scriptures, this kind of devotional service is called vaidhi-bhakti.” (Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 22.109)

“The original inhabitants of Vrndavana are attached to Krsna spontaneously in devotional service. Nothing can compare to such spontaneous devotional service, which is called ragatmika-bhakti. When a devotee follows in the footsteps of the devotees of Vrndavana, his devotional service is called raganuga-bhakti.” (Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 22.149)

*Endnote 2 – “When one becomes attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead according to one’s natural inclination to love Him and is fully absorbed in thoughts of the Lord, that state is called transcendental attachment, and devotional service according to that attachment is called ragatmika, or spontaneous devotional service.” (Caitanya-caritamrta, Madya-lila 22.50)

*Endnote 3: Pranaya – “that intensified stage of prema when maan assumes a feature of unrestrained intimacy known as visrambha, or confidence devoid of any restraint or formality. This confidence causes one to consider one's life, mind, intelligence, body, and possessions to be one in all respects with the life, mind, intelligence, and body of the beloved.”

*Endnote 4: “Maan – that stage of prema in which sneha reaches exultation, thus causing one to experience the sweetness of the beloved in ever new varieties, and when the nayika assumes an outward demeanor of pique which turns into transcendental sulkiness and indignation arising out of jealous love.” (Ujjvala-nilamani 14.96)]

About Purebhakti

We publish in written and audio form the transcendental sound vibrations that have emanated from self realized Spiritual Masters in the line of Sri Krsna and in recent times, His manifestation as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (1486 AD).